Tube-cleaner



P. J. DARLINGTON.

TUBE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.30. 1919.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Af farns v acting turbine buckets in a rotor that is at- Y the rotor.

UNITED STATES PHILIP J'. DARLINGTON, OF HARTFORD,

PATENT OFFICE)"- colvnnc'riou'r, *AssIGNon TO THE, Ro'ro COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

TUBE-CLEANER;

Application filed April 30,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILIr J. DARLING- I tached to the cutter head.

The object of the invention is to combine in a cleaner'of this character features of construction which contribute to simplicity, strength, durability, easy accessibility for adjustment and repairs, and thorough protection while in use. I

These advantages are attained primarily by mounting the head upon widely separated' journal bearings formed on a stationary axle that projects from the nozzle plate in such manner that the cutters revolve intermediate the bearings rather than overhang or. extend forward beyond the bearings, and fastening the rotor directly upon a part of the head thus mounted.

Figure 1 of the accompanying'drawings shows a central longitudinal section of a water driven tube cleaner that embodies this invention. Fig. 2 shows a view of the front end of the cleaner. Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3'8' on Fig. 1.

'The casing Lis tubular and is provided at the rear end with an interior thread into whichis screwed the head 2 that is shaped on the exterior to receive a wrench and is threaded on the interior for connection with the fluid supply pipe. In the casing near the front end is an internal flange 3, and

shrunk or driven into the opening in this flange and abutted against it is the nozzle plate 4 that is provided with common form of ports 5 for directing the jets of the motive fluid.

Screwed into a threaded hole in thecenter of the nozzle plate is the threaded end of the axle 6; Thisaxle is locked in place by a nut 7 that is screwed on the end of-the axle against the rear of the nozzle plate. Adjacent to the front of the nozzle plate Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 6, 19,20.

1919. Serial No. 293,591.

the axle is shaped to provide a journal bearing 8 and some distance farther forward the axle is shaped to provide ajournal bearing 9. Mounted on these hearings is the spider or body of the cutter-head which consists of a central sleeve 10 and three outwardly extending arms neareach end of'the' sleeve.

The rotor disk 11 with its turbine buckets 12 of common form is fastened 011 the rear end of the spider sleeve.

" The cutter carrying yokes'13are loosely hung upon pivot pins 14 that extend between the respective arms of the spider and at one end abut against the front face of Parallel cutters 15 and crown cutters 16 are loosely mounted on studs 17' I that pass through the free endsof the front yoke arms and screw into the free ends of the rear yoke arms.

A cap 18 with a flange 19 isscrewed on the front endof the spider sleeve over the collar 20 onthe axle. In front of this collar the axle has a flattened'section 2 1 for receiving a wrench by means of which the axle may be screwed into the nozzle plate until the collarbears against the front end of the spider sleeve and holds the rear end of the spider sleeve against the front face of the rotor; The cap has a central opening 22 in its front wall for the forwardly, extending protecting tip 23 of the axle, and when the cap is screwed in place on the spider sleeve its flange holds the pivot pins for the swinging cutter yokes in place-and prevents any object from engaging or. hitaccidentally ting the flattened section 21 and turning the axle.

In assembling this structure the rotor is secured on the rear end of the spider sleeve which carries the swinging yokes with the cutters and then the axle is slipped through the spider and screwed into the nozzle plate until theforward thrust collar holds the spider sleeve against the front faceof the rotor, after which the lock nut is screwed on therear end ofthe axle. Vhen these parts are properly adjusted, the retaining cap is screwed on the spidersleeve so as to hold the pivot pins in place and protect the forward end of the cutter head, any convenient means being employed to lock the cap in place. With this construction the axle is stationary and rigid'and its tip acts as a stopto prevent the cutters from being thrust forward against any fixed. obstrucforward thrust collar screwed into the cen ter of the nozzle plate, a sleeve mounted upon and supported near each end by the bearings on the axle, arms projecting laterally from near each end of the sleeve,

pivot pins extending parallel with the axle between the respective arms, yokes mounted upon the pivot pins, studs extending parallel with the pivot pin and connecting the free ends of the yokes, cutters loosely mounted upon said studs, and a rotor mounted upon the rear end of the sleeve. 7

2. A tube cleaner having a tubular casing, a nozzle plate with turbine ports fastened in the casing near the front end, an axle with widely separated journal bearings and forward thrust collar-screwed into the center of the nozzle plate, a sleeve mounted upon and supported near each end by the bearings on the axle, arms projecting laterally from near each end of the sleeve, pivot pins extending parallel with the axle between the respective arms, yokes mounted upon the pivot pins, studs extending parallel with the pivot pins and connecting the free ends of the yokes, cutters loosely mounted upon said studs, a rotor mounted'upon the rear end of the sleeve, and a flanged cap screwed upon the forward end of and rotating with the' sleeve and holding'said pivot pins in place. 3. A'tube'cleaner having a'tubular casing, a coupling head fastened to the rear end of the casing, a nozzle plate with turbine ports fastened in the casing near the front end, an

axle with widely separated journal bearings and forward thrust collar screwedinto'the center of the nozzle plate,"a lock nut on the threaded end of the axle and abutting against'the back of the nozzle plate, a sleeve mounted upon and supported near each end bythe bearings on the axle, arms projecting laterally from near each end of the sleeve, pivot pins extendingparallel with the axle between the respective arms, yokes mounted upon the pivot pins, studs .extending parallel with the pivot pins and connecting the free ends of the yokes, cutters loosely mounted upon said studs, a rotor mounted upon the rear end of the sleeve, and a flanged cap screwed upon the forward end of and rotating with the sleeve and holding said pivot pins in place.

4;, A tube cleaner having a tubular casing,

a nozzle plate with turbine ports fastened in the casing near the front end, an axle having widely separated journal bearings and forward thrust collar and protecting tip integral therewith, screwed into the center of the nozzle plate, a lock nut on the threaded end of the axle and abutting against the back of the nozzle plate, a sleeve mounted upon and supported near each end by the bearings on the axle, arms projecting laterally from near each end of the sleeve, pivot pins extending parallel with the axle between the respective arms, yokes mounted upon the pivot pins, studs extending parallel with the pivot pins and connecting the free ends of theyokes, cutters loosely mounted upon saidv studs, a rotor mounted uponthe rear endof the sleeve, and a flanged cap screwed upon the forward end of and rotating with the sleeve and holding said pivot pins in place; I I

5.;Atube cleaner having a tubular casing with an interior thread at the rear end and an internal flange near the front end, a coupling head screwed into the rear end of the casing, a nozzle plate with turbine ports fas tened in the opening through said flange, an axle having widely separated journal bearings and forward thrust collar and protecting tip, screwed into the center of the nozzle plate, a lock nut on the threaded end of" the axle and abutting against the back of the nozzle plate, a sleeve mounted upon and supported near each end by the bearings on the axle, arms projecting laterally from near each end of the sleeve,pivot pins ex-' tending parallel with the axle between the respective arms, yokes mounted upon the pivot pins, studs extending parallel with the pivot pins and connectingthe free ends of the yokes, cutters loosely mounted upon said studs, a rotor mounted uponvthe rear end of the sleeve, and a flanged cap screwed upon theforward end of and rotating'with the sleeve and holdingsaid pivot pins in place, said cap having an opening through which said protecting tip extends.

-: PHILIP J. DARLINGTON'. 7 

